Revising Ebay Feedback

I tried to buy a pair of sunglasses on Ebay and the seller oversold them.

After waiting about two weeks I called and they told me that they had ordered more and my glasses would be arriving in a few days. They also refunded $10 of my purchase price for my trouble.

After another week with no glasses, I called again and they told me that they had cancelled my order and would be putting money back in my PayPal account.

However, they initially only put another $10 back. After two more calls, they finally returned the remaining $48 of my payment.

I waited until the funds hit my account and then I gave them negative feedback.

Now they've sent me a message asking me to revise the feedback and that they will give me another $20 if I do.

I'm wondering how ethical it is for them to request this and on the other hand, I'm also wondering how much they would pay if I demanded more money.

Anybody dealt with a similar situation? Thoughts?

Originally Posted by Bradford

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I'm also wondering how much they would pay if I demanded more money.
This is on the verge of extortion.

Originally Posted by RSS

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This is on the verge of extortion.

Normally I would agree, but considering they have already offered me an additional $20 to change my feedback, it actually seems more like negotiating.

Originally Posted by Bradford

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Normally I would agree, but considering they have already offered me an additional $20 to change my feedback, it actually seems more like negotiating.
If that is the way you choose to see it ... as Dr. Ruth might say, "Have fun with it."

Actually I'm not even sure if it is ethical of them to offer me money to revise my feedback. While I might get some small personal benefit, it seems to undermine the whole concept of the feedback system.

Does Ebay have a policy about this?

I'm going to guess they want you to revise your feedback and they just won't send you any more money. Once that happens there is not much you can do.

Originally Posted by Bradford

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Actually I'm not even sure if it is ethical of them to offer me money to revise my feedback.

You're not sure if it's ethical or not?

I think the only ethical way to revise is make it positive, with the comment that "My transaction was negative, but they paid me $20 to leave positive feedback, so I did."

Should revise to say, I know its not ethical of them to make me the offer.

So I guess I'm really just curious if it violates any sort of Ebay policies?

I don't know that I've ever had a bad transaction like this before, and I'm pretty sure I've never left negative feedback about a seller in the past, so I'm wondering if this is something that has happened to other people.

Originally Posted by Wolfador

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I'm going to guess they want you to revise your feedback and they just won't send you any more money. Once that happens there is not much you can do.

Oh, should I accept their offer, I would definitely wait to ensure that the money is in my account before revising the feedback.

I cannot see how this is "extortion." They are not in a superior position, using that position to obtain a benefit for themselves. They are in the weaker position, having received the negative feedback and not being able to do the same to you. Thus, if you were to request additional money then THAT, not what they have done, would technically be extortion since to extort one must be in the superior position.

What they are doing is trying to make you whole so that your transaction is not negative. If you receive all of your money back plus some additional funds for your trouble, does that not compensate you for what occurred and make the experience positive? In that instance, I see nothing wrong with revising the feedback. Mistakes happen, they let you know a mistake happened, they ultimately refunded all of your money and now want to give you more to make your experience positive so as to earn positive, not negative, feedback. What is wrong with that?

Having seen how Ebay has abused the entire feedback process, especially DSR's, to royally screw over what were otherwise good, honest sellers, I will never leave anyone a negative feedback unless they out and out steal from me, meaning, take my money and I get nothing in return.

I just purchased a beautiful "RJman" recommended leather jacket at an incredible price. The guy charged me $30 for "Expedited" shipping and then shipped it to me via Parcel Post at a cost of $15. He also waited two weeks to ship the item. In the end, I got it, told him that he seriously overcharged me on shipping and did not provide the service he indicated he would provide for that amount of money. I thought he would at least make the refund then, for fear of getting a negative, although I never threatened such and never would. He did not. I wrote him and told him he was lucky I was the buyer and not, well, one of you! I will not participate in Ebay's sham feedback system, period! So, I told him he would get no feedback from me since I was very happy with the item and the price I paid for the item, although not shipping, and I won't be Ebay's instrument of destruction for sellers.

Great bargains come from the small sellers who Ebay is trying to screw over for their profit. If buyers participate in Ebay's plot to ruin them so they can earn even higher profits for themselves, in the end, we lose out as these Sellers will not be able to offer their items at current prices.

Beyond that, and if for no other reason than to screw Ebay, I would take this guys money and give him the positive feedback. FFFF Ebay!

Originally Posted by LatinStyleLover

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I cannot see how this is "extortion." They are not in a superior position, using that position to obtain a benefit for themselves. They are in the weaker position, having received the negative feedback and not being able to do the same to you.
Who said I was talking about the seller?

Originally Posted by RSS

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Who said I was talking about the seller?

You know, I went back and re-read your remark and what you quoted and must stand corrected. It does appear that you imply bargaining for more money than they have offered would be extortion. If that is what you meant then you are certainly correct.

They are trying to satisfy you as a customer. Negative feedback really really hurts eBay sellers.

If the extra $20 satisfies you, then take it and revise. If you really really want to hurt them, then don't revise, but don't take the money.

If feel like you deserve more than $30 discount to be satisfied, then tell them that.

As an eBay seller myself, I don't oversell. I don't want these situations to ever come up.

Originally Posted by tj100

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make it positive, with the comment that "My transaction was negative, but they paid me $20 to leave positive feedback, so I did."

+100